Diverse group of organizations come together for Peace in our Community and in the World

A diverse group of organizations are coming together this Wednesday at 5:30pm to march and rally by the Milwaukee City Hall for Peace in our Community and in the World. The nearly two dozen sponsoring organizations include the Coalition for Justice, which has led many protests against police actions such as the fatal shooting of Dontre’ Hamilton in Red Arrow Park; and Peace Action Wisconsin, which has a long record of mobilizing against U.S. military actions such as the invasion of Iraq. September 21st is the International Day of Peace declared by the United Nations General Assembly, and is dedicated to both peace within and among nations. The UN has cited racism as an important factor preventing peaceful relations. People will meet at City Hall at 5:30pm for a short march, and conduct a rally at 6pm in the City Hall rotunda.

Along with the mother and brother of Dontre’ Hamilton, who have been key figures locally and nationally in demanding justice in the wake of questionable police shootings of young Black men especially, will be Dr. Shanika Johnson, Executive Director of Peace Action–WI, and Robert Naiman, Policy Director of JustForeignPolicy.org, based in Washington, D.C. Other speakers will report first hand on the combined resistance of over 200 Native American Indian tribes to the pipeline desecrating and threatening their ancestral land at Standing Rock, N.D.; and on incarceration issues in Wisconsin, where authorities have been force-feeding hunger strikers in Waupun, and a mentally disturbed prisoner awaiting a psychiatric exam died due to Milwaukee County jailers denying him water for six days. The key demands of the coalition are to “move the money” from the military to human needs at home; opposing racism, violence and attacks on immigrants; and opposing aggressive military actions and unauthorized wars abroad.

How To …

Help youth succeed in school and life! The start of the school year offers many opportunities to volunteer. Volunteer Milwaukee, a service of the Nonprofit Center, features a calendar full of events for volunteers, both one-time and ongoing.